Gospel Reflection for Sunday, April 27, 2025

Dear brothers and sisters, peace and blessings.

Today we celebrate the Feast of Mercy. It is celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter and is known as Divine Mercy Sunday. It was first added to the liturgical calendar by Cardinal Franciszek Macharski for his Archdiocese of Kraków (1985), and then some other Polish bishops did the same in their dioceses. At the request of the Polish Bishops’ Conference, Pope John Paul II made this feast official for all dioceses in Poland in 1995. Later, on April 30, 2000, the day St. Faustina Kowalska was canonized, the Pope extended this feast to the whole Church.

Throughout this Easter Octave, we have reflected on the Lord’s appearances to different people. These were moments of life, joy, and reunion with the One who loved us to the end. These encounters gave strength to move forward, as we will see again at Pentecost.

For now, today’s readings show us how the early Christian community began to grow. This is important for us—we should pay attention to the details, because we are called to live like them.

To begin with, they were united. That was necessary because they faced a lot of opposition. They stayed together and prayed together. In that, we are similar—we also gather to pray. These days, after the death of Pope Francis, and as we wait for the conclave to elect a new pope, Catholics all over the world are united in prayer—for his eternal rest and for the future of the Church. You can feel this unity everywhere.

It seems that non-believers liked the Christians. They seemed kind and lived differently. But still, people were afraid to join them. It was risky, because going against the tide has always been dangerous. The persecutions Christians have suffered show this clearly. Faithfulness is tested in hard times.

Maybe because of that faithfulness and perseverance, many people started to approach the Church. The number of believers grew. Probably because the Apostles were doing the same things Jesus did—healing the sick, freeing people from evil spirits, helping others to live free and happy lives. The Risen Lord gave his healing power to his disciples.

The book of Revelation was written at the end of the first century, during Emperor Domitian’s persecution, after Nero’s time. While the emperor demanded public worship, Christians were reminded that only the Risen Lord should be at the center of their communities. He is the only King who leads the Church with his Word; the Priest who offers the only sacrifice that pleases God—his own life; and the fulfillment of all the prophecies.

So, the question for our community today is: Who do we place at the center of our lives? The Risen Lord and his Word—or someone or something else? Do we worship Christ, or other idols?

The Gospel also speaks to us about the importance of community. Outside of it, Thomas couldn’t meet the Risen Jesus. But when he was with the others, the encounter happened—and he made his profession of faith. Faced with fear and doubt, Jesus brought peace. That same peace gave courage to the martyrs, even in the face of death.

If we think about it, all the Apostles doubted—not just Thomas. In fact, through Thomas, St. Luke wants to help us deal with the doubts many believers have—especially those who never saw the Risen Jesus, not even the first disciples, because they lived long after them. It was hard for many to believe. They wanted to touch Jesus’ wounds, just to be sure. Many Christians today feel the same.

Through these stories of Jesus’ appearances—on the first day of the week, the same day we now gather to worship—the Gospel gives us the key to understanding what it means to believe in the resurrection. It wasn’t something physical, but something supernatural, invisible to the eyes, yet real for those who have faith. That’s why: “Blessed are those who believe without seeing.” The glorified, risen body is not limited by time or space. It goes wherever the Spirit goes. It becomes present wherever the Spirit is.

When we ask, “What did the disciples see?” we can answer: they didn’t see with their natural eyes. They saw because God allowed them to see—to “mysteriously” witness the truth of the Risen Lord. Jesus is not in one place, but everywhere; not in one time, but in all times; not in one person, but in every person. He has been given all power in heaven and on earth. To see the Lord is to see everything—humanity, history, nature, and ourselves in a new light. It’s to see God in a new way.

Seeing the Risen Jesus is only possible if He appears to us. Without His appearance, we cannot see. It is the Father who takes the first step: He shows us Jesus, the blessed fruit of His womb, His only Son. Today, we are Christians because we have received the grace of a real Easter appearance. The Risen Lord continues to appear. To “see” this way is to believe—to feel changed, reborn, like a new creation.

True faith does not mean never seeing. It means seeing differently—letting the Lord’s Revelation and Appearance open our eyes, break our limits, and take away our blindness. That’s why those who truly see are “blessed.” We have the Gospel, where Christ’s voice still echoes. That same voice the sheep recognize and follow. That voice that still calls to us, speaking of God’s mercy—just as Pope Francis did.

We are the blessed ones who believe without seeing. Just like the disciples, we are invited to bring the peace of Christ to others, to heal with our words and actions, and to boldly share the Good News of Jesus. May we do so, Lord. Amen.

Your brother in faith,